Kevin Johnson, formerly of the historic Bright Hope Baptist Church in North Philadelphia, and Derrick Harkins, who was recently working for Marcia Fudge at the U.S. “Moreover, gender bias is illegal in the City of New York in 2023 no matter the prior legacy of the organization involved.”Īmong the remaining contenders for the open senior pastor job are the Rev. “I write only to underscore that gender bias has no place in God’s house,” Marshall Turman continued in her post. She contended that Abyssinian deacons had worked alongside “an energized group of Morehouse supporters and committee leadership to systematically eliminate all female applicants from the pool of candidates.” 23, 2023, that the hiring process was tainted by secrecy and gender bias. Marshall Turman was among those invited to apply.īut after not making it to the final round, she alleged in a Facebook post on Sept. She wrote an application to Abyssinian’s senior pastorate that reflected her credentials, including a Master of Divinity and doctorate from Union Theological Seminary in New York City, and experience on the Abyssinian staff as a minister for Christian education.īutts called her the best assistant he had ever had, and the smartest, too, according to the lawsuit. When Butts died in October 2022, after a bout with cancer, Marshall Turman felt that God had called her to the moment. Grant said Marshall Turman was asked certain questions that other candidates did not get “because she was the only woman” candidate. Grant explained that every candidate was asked a series of common questions, and additional ones tailored to each person were asked as well. She took issue with the lawsuit’s accusations against her own interviewing of Marshall Turman. Some wanted an older person, or a younger one some wanted the candidate to be married and others wanted them to have existing connections to Abyssinian, she said. The process was the same for every candidate, she said, adding that her job was to tell the committee to set their biases aside. It also is the focus of her forthcoming book. Marshall Turman, who did not respond to requests from The Associated Press for comment, researches gender politics in Black churches and related issues. Beyond that, the question of who gets to preach from the pulpit has caused deep rifts in denominations and congregations all across Christian America. While some committee members may have felt she was the strongest candidate, she did not receive enough votes to advance to the next round, Grant said.ĭue to varied beliefs on whether women can have authority over men, the Black church broadly has been a minefield for women aspiring to pastoral leadership. Grant, who described the search process as rigorous, said Marshall Turman was one of 11 people who advanced from a 47-applicant field. In her statement, she said the church is prepared to defend itself against the allegations. “While she and others were considered for the role because of their impressive backgrounds, she ultimately fell short of some key requirements for the role, where other finalist candidates prevailed and moved forward in the process,” said Abyssinian spokesperson LaToya Evans. The Harlem church and Grant, who also is a board member of Morehouse College in Atlanta, disputed the lawsuit’s discrimination accusations.
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